Recovering from an injury can be a long-drawn-out process, especially if you have done some serious damage. One thing to remember is that you need to allow your body the time it needs to heal properly so as not to aggravate the problem leading to longer recovery times.
As hard as it might be to not rush back into working out and getting back to it, you need to listen to your body and support it as it heals. Doing everything you can to make sure you assist your recovery is a good idea. There are many ways you can do this via adapting your diet, looking after your mental health during recovery, and making sure you don’t push yourself too much before you are physically ready.
So how can you help yourself recover from an injury?
Eat Better
You may already be used to eating well, but upping your intake of vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables will help your body start to recover quicker. Although it might be tempting to reduce what you eat due to not being as active, this isn’t something you should be looking at doing. But changing what you eat is an excellent place to start.
You want to be looking at foods that work to reduce inflammation. Reduce your intake of processed foods, refined sugars, and those high in saturated and trans fats. Load up on fruits, vegetables, and nuts to help speed up the healing process.
Focus on antioxidants such as:
- goji berries
- wild blueberries
- dark chocolate
- pecans
- artichoke
- elderberries
- kidney beans
- cranberries
- blackberries
- cilantro
Leafy green vegetables will also help boost your recovery:
- spinach
- kale
- chard
- watercress
- mustard greens
Don’t forget to up your protein intake too, but try to avoid red meat.
Prepare Yourself Mentally
It can be hard to accept that you simply cannot do the things you are used to doing after an injury. Not being as mobile as you were or having to give up what you love, even for a short period, can have a significant impact on your mental wellbeing.
If you are struggling mentally, that too can have an impact on how long your recovery period is, especially if the accident wasn’t your fault, and you need to engage the services of the toughest injury lawyers around.
Set yourself clear and realistic goals and try not to be too hard on yourself if progress isn’t as quick as you wanted it to be. Accept help and support in any way it is offered and take control of your situation and healing to help give you something to focus on.
It may also help to allow yourself the time to miss any regular activities you are unable to do. You are allowed to miss the things you enjoyed doing.
Talk to a specialist
Getting immediate treatment and attention from your doctor will get you on the road to recovery, but they should not be the only professional that you seek out. To put it simply, there are many parts of the body that can be treated even more effectively by someone who specializes in treating that part of the body. For instance, with a bucket handle meniscus tear, some doctors may be inclined to simply remove the meniscus, but a specialist might be able to perform treatments to heal it. Always get a second opinion if you’re uncertain of a treatment’s outcome.
Sleep
Lastly, don’t forget to get enough sleep and rest. Your body works hard while you’re asleep, and a lack of shut-eye can be detrimental to your recovery. Try to get 8 – 10 hours of good quality sleep per night to help your body heal and repair itself.